I've been a little concerned of late about something. I've almost been afraid to voice it, given my family history. I've been been having pains in my upper abdomen / intestines and middle back. At first I just assumed I had pulled muscles. But it doesn't feel quite like that. It's more of a mild burning sensation. And it feels about the same front and back, with the exception of some odd discomfort in my upper intestines. What does a hernia feel like? What does cancer feel like?

The latter thought is the one that worries me. Of the six of my mother's siblings that have died, three died of cancer. One living brother has had cancer. So it's something that's always at the back of everyone's mind in this family.

So. The next question is, when would be a prudent time to be tested? Without unduly worrying anyone, I mean. Mama will freak just at the idea. I know I'm probably jumping at shadows here. But I don't want to wind up like my uncle Robert. He was working in his yard and felt a sharp pain in his back. He went to the doctor and found out he had cancer. He was dead two weeks later. My uncle Jack, on the other hand, got tested early and caught his cancer, and was able to beat it. Maybe I should talk to Jack about this.